Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1887-02-02
AN OLIVE GROVE.
How Olive Raising Has Be.
come q California Industry.

HOW olive Raising Has Be-.
come California Industry.
The Fruit Of the Mediterranean Now One
of Americas Products
From ancient writings, including til c
Holy Scriptures, it can be asccrtaincd
that the olive is one of the oldest known
fruits. The Mount of Olives near
Jerusalem, is famous in history. Long
before butter was known olive oil was
used in the preparation of food. Large
quantities of the oil and fruit have from
time to time been imported here from
the shores of the Mediterranean Sea,
whence most of the product has been
obtained. The climate of California, not
being unlike that Of the Mediterranean,
was considered suitable for the growth
of the olive, and an experiment was
made which has proved successful. The
tree itself is pretty and ornamental. In
sprinG time it is covered with u pro
fusion Of white flowers, and in winter
has an evergreen foliage. When ready
for the harvest it is so prolific that the
branches bend under the weight of the
fruit. Olive wood is also beautiful,
and was chosen as parts of the orna-
mcntatiOn of the spacious and magni-
fccnt Solomon's temple. The oil is
considered by many as something
sacred. As such it is used in consecra
tions and coronations. The ancicnts
used the sprays Of olive leaves to crown
their great men, as it was believed to be
an emblem of purity and peace. 1t
was considered the highest honor to be
crowned with olive leaves. In time of
war an olive branch borne in the hand
was token of peace, and is even now
| spoken oil as Sucn.
The olive tree lives for long time.
Some OF the trees on the Mount of Olives,
in Judca, are said to be fifteen feet in
diameter and over two thousand years
old, while that in the Vatican at Rome
has record of over thousand years.
The olive is very hardy, and will endure
treatment which would kill other fruit
trees. If infected with insects the en-
tire head can Ec cut off and thrown
away, while the trunk will sprout
again with renewed vigor. In Southern
California it has prospercd beyond
expectation. Being sensitive to excess
i've heat Or cold, its home is in the semi
tropical belt represented by the Pacific
slope of the United States. 1t prospcrs
best near the sea, but can be cultivated
a short distance inland. With ordinary
culture the olive in Europe will produce
over twenty gallons of oil per acre, be-
sides allowing large quantity of the
fruit to be used for eating. Although
yet in its infancy in this country, ex-
pcrts have said that the oil produced in
California is equal to any which has
been imported. Growers say the Cali
fornian coast, from Point Conception to
San Diego, is equal to that between
Geneva and Naples for the production
OF olives. The importations amount to a
large sum annually, and if the best olive
oil can, as it is claimed, be produced here
and in sufficient quantities, that product
will form an addition to the wealth of the
United States. So far as the curing of
the fruit is concerned, experience is like
ly to teach the proper treatment, as it
has with the raisin crop. The cuttings
of two trees planted in 1876 yielded we'll
in 1SS4-thc ordinary time required for
bearing being ten years. The crop Of
these two trees was then scvcnty-fv five
gallons Of fruit which sold readily at
81 per gallon after being prepared for
the table. When taken from the trees
the grower realized scvcnty-tvc cents
per gallon. The same trees were loaded
down with fruit this season, and in Fcbru-
ory will produce large crop that Can be
readily sold at the place of growth at
cighty.tivc cents per gallon The
trees are planted on hillside, about
thirty-live or forty feet apart, to allow
for expansion, as they will live and pro-
ducc for centuries. An acre of ground
will hold about 40 trees. The small
fruit is used for OIL while the large or
queen olive is picked for eating.
Olive trees can be planted on rocky
lands, where the vine would fail, and
the cost Of planting the former is about
one-third of the latter. The crops are
more easily gathered than grapes, while
the outfit for preparing olive oil is about
one-tcnth of that necessary to produce
wine. The insect pest can be fought
much easier and with less cost than the
phylloxera or other enemies of the vine.
Being SO Prolific it becomes sooner
profitable to the grower, and each year
after bearing the olive tree produces a
good crop until it reaches its full de-
veIopmcnt, when it pays much larger
revenue than vineyard, bearing crop
of from 30 TO 40 gallons of fruit per
tree. The olive tree is also not so much
affected as the vine by drought. From
the experiments already made and their
results it is believed that the American
olive grove will in a few years become
successful rivals to that of the Mcditcr-
rancan, - Cincinnati Commercial.
One as Tender rs the Other.
Omaha Butcher "Wcll, | should say
you do look hungry"